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C5+1 Summit

Paul Kapur: “The United States’ Commitment to Central Asia Is Strong and Enduring”

WASHINGTON (TCA) — Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur reaffirmed Washington’s long-term commitment to Central Asia during remarks marking the 10th anniversary of the C5+1 partnership at the Kennedy Center hosted by the United States Department of State on November 6. Addressing an audience of officials, diplomats, and business leaders, Kapur said he was “honored to join an esteemed group” for the occasion. “I recently started my tenure as Assistant Secretary, and I’m particularly glad that I started as we celebrate the decade of C5+1 partnership,” he noted. Kapur, who oversees U.S. policy toward the region and serves as Secretary Marco Rubio’s chief advisor on Central Asia, is a veteran academic who has taught at the Naval Postgraduate School and Claremont McKenna College, and previously served on the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff during the first Trump administration. He opened his remarks by thanking the Kennedy Center and Ambassador Rick Vernell for hosting the event, as well as Special Envoy and Ambassador Sir Jim Gore and Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau “for everything that they did, which included lots of diplomacy, many days and hours on the road.” He also recognized Senator Steve Daines “who’s done so much to support and promote ties” between Central Asia and the United States, and expressed appreciation to Central Asian delegations who “traveled a long way to be here.” “As we mark this anniversary, I want to reiterate that the United States is committed to this region, and that commitment is strong and enduring,” Kapur said. “Under President Trump’s and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we’re elevating the C5+1 partnership as a priority — a strategic priority and an economic priority.” He said the partnership is already producing results in trade, investment, and innovation. “We’re making tangible progress toward increased trade and investment in areas ranging from aviation to cybersecurity to agriculture, and we’re ensuring a secure energy future for each of our countries,” he said. Kapur emphasized that economic ties are only part of the picture. “As we advance prosperity, we also promote peace,” he stated. “The United States remains committed to supporting each C5 country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, protecting borders and strengthening security cooperation, both bilaterally and through the C5+1.” Reflecting on the partnership’s first decade, Kapur cited initiatives such as the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue, the B5+1 Business Dialogue, training networks for regional law enforcement and border security, and English-language programs for young professionals. He also highlighted efforts to protect the region’s cultural heritage through historical preservation and law enforcement cooperation to combat antiquities trafficking. “Although we’re celebrating the future today, it’s important to remember that our new initiatives are built on a deep foundation of cooperation over the past decade,” he said. “As we elevate and modernize our collective efforts, C5+1 countries and the United States are increasingly prepared to deliver innovative regional solutions to our most pressing global problems.” He concluded with a personal message to Central Asian partners. “To my Central...

Sports

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina Defeats World No. 1 Sabalenka for WTA Finals Title

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan didn’t make it past the round-robin stage in two previous appearances at the WTA Finals. On Saturday, she defeated world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) to win the elite competition for the first time, collecting a record $5.23 million in prize money and 1,500 ranking points. Russia-born Rybakina, 26, was unbeaten in the eight-player tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that the WTA describes as the “crown jewel” of women’s tennis, winning matches against Amanda Anisimova, 2023 WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek, alternate Ekaterina Alexandrova and Jessica Pegula. Rybakina improved to 6-8 in her head-to-head against Belarusian Sabalenka, who was also undefeated in her path to the final. “Because the singles finalists are coming into this match undefeated, the champion will take home $5.23 million, the largest payout in women's sports history,” the WTA said ahead of the final. It also said: “An undefeated tournament results in 1,500 ranking points.” Sabalenka won this year’s U.S. Open and reached the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, had won two WTA 500 titles but did not advance past the fourth round at any of the majors this year. She picked up momentum on faster surfaces in the late-year Asian swing with her big serve, and hammered 15 aces in a three-set victory over American Pegula in the semifinals in Riyadh. The WTA Finals were played on indoor hard courts at the King Saud University Indoor Arena. As champion, Rybakina joins Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Serena Williams and other luminaries who have won the season-ending event.

C5+1 Summit

C5+1: Diplomats and Executives Define Investment Path

Before the historic White House meetings on November 6 between President Trump and the five Central Asian presidents, U.S. and regional diplomats and business leaders met at the Kennedy Center on the occasion of the C5+1 Business Forum, hosted by the U.S. Department of State, to launch a new chapter of cooperation, with a focus on strengthening commercial and investment ties in energy, finance, and manufacturing. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who moderated the panel discussion, said economic engagement is returning to the center of U.S. foreign policy. “The purpose of foreign policy is to increase the prosperity of the American people by finding opportunities for mutually beneficial economic and commercial interchange,” he said. Executives from Chevron, Citi, Freedom Holding, and Uzbekistan’s UzAvtosanoat described how decades of partnership had demonstrated the wisdom of making strategic investments in the region. These partnerships continue to reshape the economic and financial landscape for the better. Participants highlighted Central Asia’s economic stability, solid reserves, and consistent policies, and were confident in faster growth to be driven by increased capital flows and by regional projects like Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oil expansion. Both sides promised to translate diplomacy into dealmaking. Landau further noted that under President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department has elevated commercial diplomacy to a core mission. He stressed that mutual respect, win-win agreements, and consistent engagement are key to driving results. Central Asians have waited decades for this: action, not talk. Two-way trade and investment are now front and center. Chevron Points to Long-Term Energy Investment Chevron Corp. Chief Executive Mike Wirth said the company’s 30-year presence in Kazakhstan remains one of its largest international operations. Chevron was the first major U.S. investor to enter the country after independence and is now the biggest foreign investor. The US$ 48 billion Future Growth Project at Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oilfield, co-managed by Chevron and 50%-partner Tengizchevroil LLP, is up and running with expansion underway. “Our history is really founded on relationships and trust,” Wirth said. “The most enduring aspect of it (our work) is the respect and love that our American employees have for the culture and people of Kazakhstan.” He said more than 500 Kazakh employees have trained in Chevron operations worldwide, many of whom now hold senior roles in government and industry. Citi Expands Access to Global Capital Citi’s Managing Director Stephanie von Friedeburg outlined the bank’s activities in Central Asia, where it began operations more than three decades ago. Citi now serves about 800 corporate clients across the region, supporting private companies, governments and state-owned enterprises with strategic planning, capital issuance, and risk management services. The bank has arranged Eurobond sales for the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan and handled more than US$40 billion in fundraising for Kazakhstan since 2014. In Uzbekistan, Citi has supported 19 capital-market transactions and advised the government on improving its credit rating. “We help countries understand how rating agencies look at them (and) how to improve their ratings,” von Friedeburg said. “That allows them...

Afghanistan

Tensions Simmer Between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Setback for Central Asian Trade Hopes

A round of peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul came under strain after another clash between the two countries along their border. A resolution to the conflict is important to Central Asian countries that want to trade south through Afghanistan and onward to Pakistani seaports that open the way to the Indian Ocean. Pakistan’s government and the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan accused each other of instigating the latest confrontation on Thursday, though they still expressed commitment to a delicate ceasefire that was agreed to last month. Dozens of people were killed and cross-border trade was suspended during the fighting in October. According to the Taliban’s account, Pakistani forces fired on the Afghan border town of Spin Boldak as the talks in Turkey began on Thursday. Afghan forces, “out of respect for the negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties, have so far shown no reaction. It is worth noting that in the previous round of negotiations, both sides had agreed to extend the ceasefire and prevent any acts of aggression,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on X. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, however, said firing started from the Afghan side and that Pakistan forces responded. “The situation was brought under control due to responsible action by Pakistani forces and the ceasefire remains intact. Pakistan remains committed to ongoing dialogue and expects reciprocity from Afghan authorities,” the ministry said. Turkey, which along with Qatar is mediating, said ahead of the talks this week that the two sides had agreed to continue the ceasefire and establish “a monitoring and verification mechanism” to ensure peace and impose penalties for any violations. But Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, while thanking the mediators, said late Friday that Afghanistan had failed to control terrorism, indicating that the talks in Istanbul had not overcome major sticking points. A key dispute is over Pakistani allegations that militants have used Afghan territory as a sanctuary while carrying out attacks against targets in Pakistan. The Taliban in Afghanistan denies those allegations. Additionally, Afghanistan doesn’t recognize its porous, 2,600-kilometer border with Pakistan, saying it’s a British colonial-era construct that divided the ethnic Pashtun populations that have traditionally dominated Afghanistan. These complexities pose a challenge for landlocked countries in Central Asia that are looking to diversity their trade routes. Several Central Asia-South Asia projects in the works – the Trans-Afghan Railway, the TAPI natural gas pipeline and the CASA-1000 electricity project - have a long way to go before completion. Meanwhile, the post-Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are working on other trade and investment opportunities. Their leaders held a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, building ties with the West even as they nurture more established contacts with Russia and China.

C5+1 Summit

Daines, Gor, Meredov Launch C5+1 Talks on Next-Gen U.S.–Central Asia Ties

Washington, D.C. — The United States and the five nations of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – marked a decade of partnership on Thursday with an opening panel at the C5+1 Tenth Anniversary Business Conference hosted by the U.S. Department of State. U.S. Senator Steve Daines (Montana), Sergio Gor, the newly appointed U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia and Ambassador to India and Rashid Meredov, Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister kicked things off with a bold forward-looking vision centered on deeper economic cooperation, net two-way investment flows, and a bolstered U.S. commitment to the region. Held at the Kennedy Center’s REACH campus, the session brought together senior U.S. officials, and Central Asian leaders and private sector companies to deepen a decade of growing cooperation, building on Trump’s transactional approach and first term achievements. Celebrating a Decade of Cooperation U.S. Senator Steve Daines, who moderated the session, not only praised the C5+1 platform’s record of achievements since 2015 but went further. He called the anniversary “a momentous occasion for our nations” to move forward in friendship and a sense of pragmatism, anchored in growing commerce, new investments, cultural exchange, and security cooperation. Daines emphasized that relations with the C5 countries are “vitally important for our national security and prosperity,” adding that the event aimed to pave the way for stronger, results-driven partnerships. Turning to the next speaker, Ambassador Sergio Gor, Daines offered unusually personal remarks, describing him as “truly one of the closest confidants of President Trump.” He noted that “Mr. Gor’s nomination demonstrates President Trump and his administration’s commitment to fostering closer ties between all of our nations.” Daines expressed eagerness to work with “Sergio and the rest of President Trump’s team” to build upon the successes of previous US-Central Asian relations. U.S. Envoy Stresses Renewed Engagement In his address, Ambassador Sergio Gor, underscored the administration’s renewed commitment to the region. He recounted that he and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan just last week, praising the hospitality and partnership shown by both governments. Gor extended his appreciation to Kazakhstan, which he noted had “recently become a sponsor of the Kennedy Center,” and thanked Ambassador Richard Grenell for hosting the forum. Gor emphasized that “this President is making this partnership a top priority,” adding that the focus on the five Central Asian nations “is something that has been ignored in past administrations.” According to Gor, President Trump “has made a commitment and has instructed every individual here within the U.S. government to make sure [Central Asia] gets the priority that it deserves.” He emphasized the need to ramp up energy cooperation, open new trade avenues, and secure supply chains for critical minerals. “We are committed to further developing Central Asia’s vast mineral wealth and advancing critical-mineral security,” Gor underscoring C5+1’s shift from dialogue to deliverables and mutual cooperation. He also previewed the White House leaders’ meeting and dinner scheduled for later in the day, noting that several “historic deals” in commerce...

Economic Growth

Kazakhstan Presents “Growth Case” to Global Investors in London

Kazakhstan is deepening its engagement with UK capital markets. At the Kazakhstan Capital Markets Day 2025 conference in London, Deputy Minister of National Economy Asan Darbayev outlined the country’s economic growth strategy and measures to enhance its investment climate. Speaking during the panel session “Sustainable Economic Growth and Financial Sector Development,” Darbayev highlighted that Kazakhstan’s real GDP grew by 6.3% in the first nine months of 2025, one of the strongest performances in recent years. The government’s medium-term target is to reach a GDP of $450 billion by 2029. Infrastructure development remains central to Kazakhstan’s strategy to position itself as a key transit and investment hub in Eurasia. Currently, five international rail corridors and eight road corridors are operational, including the strategically vital Middle Corridor. This infrastructure forms the backbone of Kazakhstan’s growing export and import routes and supports the localization of industrial production. Darbayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s standing as a reliable and creditworthy partner. The country maintains investment-grade ratings from S&P, Fitch, and Moody’s. Notably, S&P upgraded its outlook to “Positive,” while Moody’s raised Kazakhstan’s rating to Baa1 last year. To attract long-term investment, Kazakhstan offers a range of incentives, including investment contracts, tax and customs preferences, and legislative stability guarantees for up to 25 years. Investor engagement is facilitated through a digital investment platform operating on a “single window” principle, supported by the Investment Attraction Council. The council is tasked with removing administrative barriers and accelerating project approvals. A major draw for international capital is the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which operates under English common law. The AIFC hosts more than 3,500 companies from over 80 countries, with cumulative investments exceeding $14 billion. The center’s emphasis on transparency and legal protections has made it a trusted destination for global investors. Kazakhstan continues to attract investment in oil and gas, engineering, transportation, and the food and beverage sectors. Major partners include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, GE Transportation, Hyundai, KIA, Coca-Cola, Danone, Carlsberg, and Lactalis, reflecting interest in high value-added projects and technology localization. During the forum, Darbayev also held meetings with executives from Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM), further promoting Kazakhstan’s economic agenda to global financial leaders.